Upside-Down Number Trick

Contributor: Joanna D'Orazio Mignella. Lesson ID: 14165

Get ready to learn a clever number trick that will help you quickly double-check your division answers!

categories

Elementary, Math

subject
Math
learning style
Visual
personality style
Lion, Golden Retriever
Grade Level
Intermediate (3-5)
Lesson Type
Quick Query

Lesson Plan - Get It!

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  • Have you ever seen a monkey hanging upside down from a tree?

Some monkeys can swing from branches, gripping tightly with their tails!

  • That’s pretty amazing, right?

Just like monkeys can turn things upside down, you can do something cool with numbers, too!

Get ready to learn a special upside-down trick to help you divide numbers easily and check your work like a pro!

Division can be tricky, but there is a special trick to help you check your work!

  • Are you ready to discover the upside-down multiplication trick?

magic hands and wand

Great!

This trick will let you double-check your answers when you solve division problems.

Dive in!

six cookies stacked up

Imagine you have 6 cookies. You want to share them equally with yourself and 2 friends.

  • How many cookies would each of you get?

That’s right—2 cookies each! Yum!

So, 6 ÷ 3 = 2.

That means that 6 ÷ 3 = 2.

Here’s how the upside-down multiplication trick works: flip the problem around! Multiply the answer you found (2) by the number you divided by (3).

  • Does 2 x 3 = 6?

Yes, it does! That means your answer is correct.

6 ÷ 3 = 2

Try another one.

bucket of apples

Imagine you have 36 apples. You want to split them into piles of 4.

  • How many apples would be in each pile?

First, you divide.

36 ÷ 4 = 9

Then, check your work using the upside-down multiplication trick.

  • Does 9 x 4 = 36?

Yes, it does! Great work!

Now, see if you can check this one on your own.

  • Does 24 ÷ 3 = 8?

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Fantastic!

The upside-down multiplication trick is a powerful way to check your work.

  • Ready to keep practicing?

Check out the video below.

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This math trick is amazing!

When ready, head to the Got It? section for more fun practice!

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